Mend Me
by valdeh
Summary: Tellie never crashed her car. But because of it she grew closer to Grange and really started to move on from J.B. He however, has other plans. He wants her, always wanted her, now he can lose her without even having her. Will he let her be and make her be happy? Or will he show her he can love her like she'd always wanted?
1. Chapter 1

Mend Me

The roads were slick but she couldn't stop her foot from pressing harder on the gas. She was fairly a good driver, but the rain was making everything harder. The pain in her chest though, crashed all wavering thoughts to slow down in order to get further away from J.B.

Little by little her car started to slow down though. Not knowing what to do and on the brink of a tricky curve on the road she pressed harder. She knew whenever… he came ….out for air. Nell would tell him about Marge and then he'd rush to his sister and nieces. She didn't want him to see her. But mainly she didn't want to see him.

Hearing the slight chucking of her engine she maneuvered the little car to the side of the road slightly beneath a big tree, whose branches sheltered piece of the road. Then silence. Her engine was off.

"No, come on. No! Start!" Tellie yelled and started to bang the headboard of the car. Hoping, willing it to start so that she could get back to Marge and her girls. Theyneeded her. Now her silly car won't start. Water started dripping from the roof of her car but when she looked up and saw her reflection it all hit her.

J.B. Naked, beneath Bella. His cruel words. Her leaving.

"Oh my" she moaned, pressing her fist to her chest. A tap to her car window caught her attention. Fearing the worst she stiffened.

"Are you alright Tellie?"

It was Grange. A pleasant feeling overcame her when she realized it was him and not J.B.

"Grange my car broke down and Marge had a heart attack and the girls are at the hospital and J.B. wouldn't answer his phone.." she started rambling as soon as she got out of the vehicle.

"Woah, woah. Slow down girly. Now, how about we get in my truck so we don't catch pneumonia or something."

"Pneumonia? Why?" she asked, clearly confused, her eyes looked spaced and Grange started to inspect her.

"Tellie darling, it's raining. You shouldn't even be driving in this weather." He held her. Knowing she was probably in shock. "Come on. Let's go inside."

Outside the hospital Tellie hesitated. She felt exhausted, depleted, but knew she had to pull it together and she really wanted to see Marge.

"I'll be here." Grange mumbled to her. So that only she can hear. He now knew the reason behind her hesitation.

"Promise?" she asked, hesitantly. She felt rather than heard his answer as he slipped his hand around hers and tangled his fingers between hers. An intimate gesture but she felt more comforted than aroused by it and she knew it was just that. There was only a deep sense of compassion in his eyes. One she reciprocated.

A small smile touched her lips as she entered the room. Dawn and Brandi were in her arms the minute she entered the room.

"Tellie! We were so worried! What took you so long?" Dawn cried. She was the younger of the two and more sensitive.

"Where's Uncle J.B.? Isn't he coming? Is mom going to be alright?" Brandi broke down in tears. All Tellie could do was try to comfort them as their mom got better. Lord knows this heart attack came out of nowhere. Who knows how long she was having troubles before Tellie reached home.

Before she could get a word out Brandi cried, "Uncle J.B.", and rushed to him. Dawn followed next. Concentrating on Marge's well-being she didn't look up at him. She only wanted to be focused she told herself. Grange still had a firm yet comforting grip on her right hand, which she had forgotten about until J.B. arrived.

They were asking him the same questions they asked her but seemed relieved that their Uncle was with them. She heard his voice, calm and comforting, in a tone she knew he'd never used on her. Nor will he ever. She knew now how much of an inconvenience she was to him. She vowed to never engage in any interaction with him unless needed.

His voice drifted to her and a shiver ran through her spine causing her to tighten her grip in Grange's hand. She never wanted to let go. Never.

_**J.B.,**_

Doctor Coltrain smiled as he came out of Marge's room. He started to talk about her condition and assured him that Marge would be just fine as long as they kept her blood pressure low because it was really high. Relief washed over him in ten folds and the girls wanted to see their mother.

"Can we go see her?" he asked.

"Yes, right after we get her in a room."

All three of them sat down and looking around the waiting room J.B. spotted Tellie. Looking at her now he regretted what he said to her. But he was so ashamed that she saw him with Bella like that. What was she doing there? He asked himself but answered his questions almost immediately.

She'd told him that she wasn't chasing after him anymore. That she was moving on and wouldn't 'moon' over him like she use to. He didn't want to believe that or he couldn't believe that because everyone knew Tellie loved him. No, that Tellie loves him.

Dawn and Brandi followed Dr. Coltrain immediately, but he couldn't help just watching Tellie, see if she was going to move or not.

As he was about to call her, Dawn and Brandi did, asking her if she was coming. She left, and that's when he saw her hand in Grange's.

_She was right. _He thought, _she really is over me._

J.B. never felt such pain in his life. He was losing her, without really having her. He wanted to apologize. That was the least he could do for her. After, he said, after Marge was alright and at home. He'd find her, and make it right.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Tellie…**_

I avoided J.B like the plague after we came home. I knew he saw Marge and told her to tell me that he was sorry but I couldn't believe he'd say things like that. I couldn't help myself that I loved him. For all those years I let him ignore me, berate me, and parade his endless stream of girlfriends in front of me.

But none of that mattered because I love him and I knew that ..well I hoped, that one day he'd see me too. That one day, J.B would tell me he loved me too. Now I know I wasted all my life pining after a man whom I now know could not and would never love me the way I loved him.

That's why I am packing today. Apparently Grange needed to go to D.C. as a witness against his Commander. Said Commander was the cause of Grange being dishonorably discharge because he knew his Commander's battle field tactic would have ended up in his troops being blown up by an IUD when spotted.

Needless to say, is Commander didn't take well to being wrong and so wrote a bad report about him. Now he's being Court Marshaled and asked me to tag along with him. Well, no, not really asked. Let's say I volunteered.

"Hey Tel, Can I come in?" Marge asked as she opened the door.

"Sure. But looks like you're already in." I laughed.

"I'm going to miss you. You promise to call me as soon as you land right?"

"Yes, of course I will. And it's not like I'm going to be gone long. I have a week left before I can go back to work, so I'll be here in time to finish my job at Justin's and have a couple of days to spend with you and the girls and Nell."

"Oh, still! Are you sure you don't.."

I knew what she was about to ask, "No. I don't want to talk to him. I don't even want to see him."

She looked like she was about to say something but changed her mind. I still ached over J.B. sure. But now I hated him, how dare he use my feelings for him like that.

"Oh, Tellie, I know what he said was wrong. Completely, I don't even know what got into him. But hate is such a strong word."

My eyed bugged, did I just say that out loud? I asked her.

"Hahhaa, yes you did." Then she turned serious, "Someday, some time or another, you'll have to find a way to forgive him."

Sighing I knew she was right. Hurt as he may hurt me, I knew in the deepest part of my heart that I couldn't hate him, forever.

"I don't like that you're right Marge. I really don't." I said grudgingly as I wrangled my fingers together.

"I know you don't sweetie." She zipped up the last of my suitcase and set it down beside my carryon.

"So," I huffed, getting off my bed and looking around. "This is it."

"Tellie!" screamed Dawn and Brandi together, "We thought we were going to be late! We so didn't want for you to leave and didn't say goodbye."

"Oh come on you!" I grinned as they both squeezed the life out of me. "I'd never give you the chance to. Plus, Grange won't be picking me up until three and it's just five after twelve."

"Are you sure I can't go with Tellie mom?" Dawn asked.

"You'd be bored to death, won't she Tel?" Marge gave me that look. She had no other reason to deny them but the fact that she knew the real reason why I wanted to go. Why I wanted to leave so I can completely get over her brother.

"Exactly. I'll just be there until Grange finishes his court duty and then we'll be coming back."

"Are you going out with him Aunt Tel?" Brandi asked, giving me a questioning glare.

"Maybe. Why, you like him?" I teased. I really didn't have an answer. We've been spending so much time together that most people already thought we were. Neither Grange nor I discouraged or encouraged it.

For him it was a way to get pushy women off his back. Which I knew was a big relief. For me, it was a way to get my mind off the bad things, the hurtful things that all come from one person. Who lives here, in this place. I needed to go somewhere where I wouldn't have to look over my shoulder thinking he's behind me or only go to places I know he won't be.

I want to completely be over J.B. No matter how much it hurts me.

I wiped a tear from my eyes as Nell called us to go eat. It'll be our last meal together until I come back.

Nell wiped her tears as Grange helped me with my luggage in his truck. The girls both gave me small lists of the little trinkets they'd like and places I should see on my visit. Marge, smiled that smile at me. She didn't cry because she knew why I really wanted to go, and also because she really wanted me to be alright after the fiasco with her brother.

She felt partly responsible even though she didn't do anything but thought be granted, he was her brother. That's why, I tried to tell her that she didn't control him or his words. Then we laughed as I told her because if she did, she'd make him love me.

Wrong thing to say though as it just brought back all the horrible thing he really thought about me. A person couldn't say those things to someone they truly like. Honestly, there was no way I would've been able to say something like that about J.B.

But then again I love him and he didn't love me. In the end I was to blame, he told me time and time again that he didn't want me the way I've always wanted him. He even warned me off him. Though that gave him no excuse to use my emotions against me.

With that I slammed my door shut and peeked out to wave goodbye at everyone. Grange's Ford was tinted so no one would know I was with him. Unless they saw me before I rolled up the window.

"So, you sure about this?" he asked. He didn't ask me why I blatantly forced myself on his short trip. For that I was grateful. He knew though, that it was something to do with J.B.

"Yes, unless you don't want me to. I mean, I'd understand." I honestly hoped he told me to stay.

"It's fine by me. Just wanted to make sure you knew what we're going for. Also," his face looked apologetic, "I'm not sure I'd be any fun because they want me there for three of the five days we'd be there."

"Oh, well, it's alright. When you're gone I could, I don't know. Explore, sleep, write, sing. Jeez, relax," I laughed, "it's going to be fine. As long as you sure I'm not going to cramp your style."

Grange gave me the biggest smile I've ever seen on him, which wasn't that big mind you.

"Yea, I doubt that kid. As long as you don't peg on us sharing rooms."

"Oh Gross!" And so the fun began. I knew this was good. Grange and I, against the world.

_**J.B…**_

J.B. felt hurt as he sat in his car in front of his sister's house, because he knew when he walked in Tellie would be in there. Also, that Tellie had truly given up on him. When he was in the hospital three days ago he expected her there. It didn't even cross his mind as to whether or not she'd be there. It seemed obvious that the girl who followed him everywhere, since she was fourteen, would show up at the hospital where his entire family knew he was, just to see if he was alright.

That day, when Marge, the girls and Nell came to check up on him, all he could think about was, 'Where is Tellie?'. He didn't voice the question though. Wouldn't dream of it. Especially with Bella there. Ahh..Bella. He knew he had to find a way to get rid of her.

He couldn't stop himself from hoping that the reason she wasn't there for him was because she thought Bella would be and she was still jealous of the woman. He didn't allow any other thought to run through his mind.

That was why he told her that he would probably lose all his money because of the tornado. It was funny seeing her try to come up with a lie to get out of their relationship. With a girl like Bella, J.B. knew the easiest and drama free way to get rid of her would be to make her think she came up with the idea herself, or like what he did, to make her do it.

Those passing days though, every inch of him expected to get at least a text from Tellie, asking if he was alright, or if he wanted something. He truly expected to see her, somewhere. He'd even passed by Justin's shop to catch a glimpse of her. But he never did.

The fact that she might have truly given up on him, like he'd wanted- he added grudgingly, hurt him in a way he couldn't explain. All he knew was that he wanted her. More than he wanted anyone.

Now as he sat outside of Marge's house he was determined to at least spike up some sort of conversation with her. He knew it would take some time for her to trust him again. However, if it were the last thing he did, he'd make her trust him and know how much he loves her.

Walking inside he gave his sister a warm hug. Everyone was already seated at the table. Everyone except Tellie. He thought maybe she was taking her time coming to the table. Maybe he'd see her. J.B. was in denial.

An uneasy feeling passed through him, because he knew she wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere in this house.

"Where's Tellie?" he asked, curiously. His question remained unanswered and the table went quiet. He lifted his eyes to see everyone avoiding his gaze and one by one they started to eat again. But with a strained concentration on their food, not with the relax conversation everyone was having just a second ago.

"Where is she?" he asked again. This time he was anxious.

Dawn, who loves her Uncle and secretly wants him to make it up with Tellie started to speak, she wanted to tell him everything, "She's.."

"She's gone." Her mother interrupted her. Marge hoped he would leave it as it is. He'd be furious if he found out the truth. However she knew her brother. He wouldn't leave it.

"Gone? Gone where?" he tried to keep his curiosity at a minimum.

"Oh jeesh. It's not like she's going to get married!" Nell exclaimed, "She went to Washington. Just for a week."

"What?! What is she doing there?" J.B. was tired of forcing it out of them. So he turned to the two little minions. Who would do anything for the right price. "Ok, you two. One of you tell me what I want to know and I'll buy you that new iPhone."

"She's gone with Grange to Washington for his Court Marshal but she's coming back in week from now." Brandi exclaimed. "Now, can I get mine in white?" she asked, smiling. However looking around the table she felt she made a mistake.

J.B. went silent. His face was blank but inside he was seething, hurt, worried and confused. How dare she!

"What do you mean? She has a right to do what she wants." Marge told her brother.

"Not with him. How do you think that looks?" frankly the thought that she was with another man bugged him. But this was Grange. A man seven years his senior and someone who she was fond with. It hit him deep.

"That's not what you're upset about and you know it."

"Why didn't you try to stop her? She has no right to leave here without telling me!"

"Do you really think she'd do that?" It was a simple yet loaded question.

J.B. remained quiet during dinner. During the drive home. As he got ready for bed. And lying in bed. All he could think about was how long ago she went. What they were up to. If they were together, and God forbid if they were sharing the same bed.

The thought of her with Grange, having him feel the same enthusiasm she's shown him, in his bed; made his chest hurt . She was his. That's all he could tell himself to get any semblance of comfort.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Tellie…**_

"Noooo! Come on Grange! Stop!" I screamed and laughed as he hosed me down. We were washing the truck the base gave him to use while we were here.

To say it was dirty was an understatement and it took a lot of prodding to get me out of bed to wash it. He told me that if we went mud racing in it that I'd have to help him wash it. So now, to get back at me, when I went back out because I left him to do majority of the cleaning, he started spraying me with the hose he was using to clean the truck with.

I dropped the tray of lemon juice, which was really good, shame to waste, and ran to the back and ducked literally on my hands and knees crawling away from him with a goofy smile on my face.

"You can't hide from me little girl!" I heard him snicker. Lately Grange's been pretty happy, well happier than I've seen him. I guess winning the case the day before really did a number on him. He was awarded for being such a good soldier and was offered a special ops job. He wouldn't give me any more details to it but knowing that it was something he wanted and appreciated and made him happy, was alright with me.

It suddenly got real quiet and I folded myself against one of the tires. I bent down to look around the hood of the truck when I felt a gush of cold water hit my bottom.

"Grange!" I screamed at him. "Please, sir! Stop making me wet!" I said, kneeling in front of him with my eyes closed. When he didn't answer I opened one eye and risked a peek at him.

He had on a cheeky smirk on his face, if that wasn't a big shock what he said next was a bigger one, "Is that all I had to do to get you wet?"

I gasped. "Well, I'll be. I never thought you had that in you Grange." I winked and scurried inside. Secretly, I knew that this was going to be a fun filled week.

_**J.B…**_

To say that it was a bad week for J.B. would have been an understatement. He was torn between going after her and waiting. But when Marge found out he wanted to go after her she gave him a stern talk about leaving her alone. That the only reason she left was to get away from him. That was the worst part, the fact that he probably drove her to another man's arms.

On the third day since she left, because he was keeping track of every second until her return, he heard that the case might finish earlier than expected.

That day was probably the happiest day of his life. He started to make plans for when she came home. He was going to pick her up personally Thursday and drive her back to his ranch. He had prepared her favorite food and had already on his person, a ring. Because there was no way he'd let her get away from him again.

Everything was perfect, except for the fact that there was no Tellie. Or Grange. They weren't on the first plane, nor were they on the second nor were they on the one after that. He refused to let that get to him and decided to check the bus line. Maybe they were on it. Four busses later, there was no sign of her. Already angry and jealous to the T J.B phoned the base in D.C and confirmed that the case ended earlier that day. They'd won and the man started going on about the proceedings but J.B hung up immediately after hr said that the case was over

Because if it was then she should've been here already. What could she possibly be doing there when it was over.

Five days later and no Tellie J.B knew he had to go after her. There was nothing he could do short of hunting her down. He knew that she wouldn't just disappear though and she wasn't the type of woman to be with a man before marriage.

At least that was what he hoped. Yes, that was what he'd do. He'd hope. Hope for the best because that was all he could do. For a while at least because two weeks later there was no more him, left. Until she came.

That was when all hell broke loose.

J.B. Stepped inside Marge's home. He stared coming every Wednesday to have dinner with them, in hopes of maybe seeing or getting some information on her. Since Marge told him about what Tellie, he never openly asked about her. But they realized that was why he was always there. Stepping inside he was hit with a sound of laughter. A small smile graced his lips as he made his way towards the dining room.

To say he was shocked by what he saw was putting it lightly. In front of him was the woman he was waiting for. She was sitting beside Grange who had his hand around her; protectively he couldn't help but notice. No one noticed he had arrived and they continued talking and laughing.

J.B. noticed how relaxed and familiar they all looked. How comfortable Tellie seemed with Grange and how much he was smiling.

"What's going on here?" J.B. gruffed out.

All heads turned towards him at the sound of his voice but he only had eyes on one person. He wasn't sure what to expect when he first saw her. But he knew, he felt she'd changed somehow. Maybe he thought she'd be angry, or sad, or heck even happy to see him. She's in love with him for crying out loud.

Her face showed neither of those things though. Instead it had an emotion he'd never seen on her face directed at him- indifference.

"Well, aren't you going to anwer?" I asked her again.

"Lovely to see you too J.B." the indifference that now presented itself in her voice pissed him off.

"You went to Washington Tellie, not Britain." He said, accusingly.

"Who knows, that might me our next trip." She said, smiling at Grange. He winked at her and that just about tipped me over the edge. Instead of smashing something and getting on ..well he was already on her bad side but he didn't want to ruin it more; he briskly walked outside. Leaving was his first priority.

He was just about to reach his car when she called out to him.

"Wait, J.B." Tellie chased.

I turned, expectantly at her. She was more beautiful than ever. She looked, fresh, awake, happy, and the jealousy that poured through him when he realized that it was Grange who put that there engulfed him.

"Listen you don't have to leave." She said.

"You ran Tellie." I told her, but I was accusing her of something, something more than her just simply leaving here.

She couldn't pretend not to know what h was talking about. She pushed back her wavy hair and put a hand on her hip. "It seemed sensible."

"Did it?"

"Did the tornado do much damage at the ranch?"

"Enough to keep me busy long enough for you to get away."

"I'm glad it's all fixed then." She said, backing away from me to head back inside the house.

"Is this what you really want Tellie?" she stopped and I knew I had her. Her eyes held mine and even if she was trying very hard to keep her feelings from me at bay, I knew she still loved me. Though I took care not to make known that I knew.

"Yes." She said without conviction.

"You've never been able to lie to me, you know." I winked at her.

"Leave it be J.B. I came back for a new start. I know we won't be like we were before, but I at least would like to try and I'm hoping you would too."

"Oh Tellie, you haven't seen nothing yet."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Tellie…**_

"Let's go." J.B. announced as he walked through the door. I was scrubbing the floor, and to say I was shocked would have been an understatement. It's been two weeks since I've been back and since then I hadn't seen nor heard from him. For that a part of me was grateful but another part of me was still hurting. I kept telling myself I was going to get over him, but him being here was already ruining things.

"What on earth are you talking about?" I told him, continuing my work. He wasn't going to do it.

"We're going out. Now, let's go." He ordered, approaching me as he did.

"If you hadn't noticed J.B. I'm working and I already have plans for today." I told him, but only half of that was true. Getting over him wasn't going to turn out well if I started to spend time with him like I'd used to.

"No you don't. I checked, now sweet pea. Let's go." He murmured the last words.

"Fine." I trailed him to his sports car, a shiver ran down my spine when I remembered what happened the last time I was in there.

"Where are we going?" I asked him.

"It's a surprise." He smirked at me.

I wasn't sure where we were headed until I saw the old shack. That's when I knew, and all of a sudden the inside of the car filled with tension. I knew where he was headed and it terrified me and excited me.

"J.B. You are not taking me to that lake!" I screamed at him.

"Why not tidbit?" he asked coolly.

"You know why J.B." I said, glaring at him.

"I'm afraid I don't, tell me."

"Hmm…fine. Pull over then, I'll walk back." I told him.

But instead he ignored me and continued driving until we reached the lake. It was a beautiful spot where he took me on my 17th birthday. Then I was overjoyed that J/B. would take me somewhere. Even if we did eat burgers from the fast food joint down the road. It was amazing, and so nervous. That night he kissed me like I've never been kissed, and I was more than nervous.

Only now I realized how he was behaving that day.

We stopped and he started to walk towards the water, verging to the right under the shade of the Autum tree. I followed him, careful to leave a safe distance between us.

"Do you remember the first time I took you here?" he asked, still staring into the beautiful scenery.

"Yea, you brought me out here to lecture me about my date." I told him, enjoying the view of his clenching fists.

"And as far as I can remember, you were still too in love with me to actually date him." he growled out.

"You're right," I said, nonchalantly but my heart was going 60 and my palms were sweating, tucking them under my breasts I walked beside him saying, "but the past is the past. I think I'll call him again. He's an Engineer you know. Hm….what was his name again? Alex Mitchell?" I grinned, thinking about him now. He was really cute, even though I've only caught glimpses of him.

Sigh, it wasn't like I was actually going to call him. He was actually in a happy relationship, but it wasn't like _he _knew that or anything.

And I was right..

"You'll do no such thing." he growled at me, grabbing my shoulders with both hands and pulling me a little closer. I worked hard not to let him see how shocked I was and tried to get out of his grip.

"I will if I want to!"

"You'll do as I say!" his grip getting tighter.

"You're hurting me." I squirmed, because he was. Then he loosened his grip. I pushed out and swirled around, not wanting to see him.

"Why'd you bring me here?"

"This is where I started to fall for you…" he whispered.

I froze, because this wasn't what I was expecting. No, no he can't.

"Why not?" he asked.

Crap! Did I say that out loud?

"Look, it's obvious you're still feeling guilty over what happened, but the reason I left was to give both of us time…"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

I didn't know what to tell him. I pushed back whatever feeling was starting to surface and waiting until the tightness in my throat subsided.

"We can be friends, J.B, but I'm done." I whispered to him. Instantly I knew he didn't like what I said.

"You love me Tellie. Whether you want to admit it or not you do, and I won't stop until you admit it."

"You should," I told him, "I'll be starting work again soon then go back to school." I told him, looking at him to make sure he understood what I was saying. Although trickles of pain started to eat away inside of me, I couldn't do it, and before I knew it, he kissed me.


End file.
